Lyrians
Lyrians are a race of sentient, lupine, bipedal beings, wideley considered the elder race of Atheryin. They attribute their creation to the god Tyros, a variation of Taurin. Their own name for their race is 'ira Tyrosi,' the children of Taurus. Their common name, 'Lyrian,' is attributed to the northern land of Lyria which they inhabited in time beyond memory. It has long since been destroyed and absorbed by the Nokana Empire. The Lyrians are now a shadow of their former self, a race in decline. For the most part, they are traders, troupers, mercenaries and all other manners of traveler. Their caravans are a common sight on the roads and in the cities of Atheryin. Physiology Lyrians appear to be a cross between man and wolf, averaging between 5'6 and 6'0 in height. Their fur can be a variety of colors, fully ranging between the shades of black and white, as well as hues of brown and brown-red. Their eye-color is most commonly brown, but yellows and blues are also possible. Their hands (as well most of their body) are extremely similar to those of men and elves, five fingered and articulate. Their feet, however, bear a closer resemblance to wolves, and are in fact digitigrade. They are usually of a medium build. Their average lifespan, when uninterrupted by sickness or violence, is 90 years. They can live to a maximum of 110 years, although this is a rare occurrence. They reach sexual maturity between the ages of ten and seventeen, with females maturing later than males on average. Males tend to be slightly larger than females, while females are usually smaller, lighter, and faster. They have a maternal period of six months, and twins and triplets are more common than they are among Elves and Men. Cases of cross-fertilization among other races are unconfirmed, but matings aren't irregular. Lyrians usually mate for life, though the concept of marriage is alien to them. The concept of infedelity is not. Because of their appearance of being a bleed between man and beast, mages and scholars have speculated that their race was created artificially. The idea is met with hostility and revulsion among the Lyrians themselves. Personality The average Lyrian tends towards the quiet and reserved, though they can vary in personality as much as any other race. Culture Lyrian culture is extremely strong and revered, as it is one of the last links to their lost homeland. The language, too, is preserved, while other tongues are more commonly used in commerce. The religion is centered around the deity Tyros, a varient of the god Taurin. Becaue of myths detailing his creation of the wolf as the first creature, the ira Tyrosi term themselves the First Race. They term the other races the 'young' peoples, or 'the ones that came after.' Lyrians are taught to distrust all outsiders equally, which has led to a surprisingly racially unbiased culture. The goddess Silaas, the Lyrian manifestation of Kaias, is seen as the wife to Tyros, and his counterpart. Where he is the god of hunting, she is the goddess of prey. He is the god of war, and she a goddess of peace. Lyrians have a now nomadic culture, no longer akin to their previous sedentary lifestyle among luxurious villas. They cross from outpost to outpost, city to city, usually living within the inns or using their large trade wagons' added beds and small living areas to survive in. Most living Lyrians tend to remain optimistic and happy, often being well-off financially, as their goods are of top quality and are either handcrafted themselves or imported from the far reaches of Atheryin. Most Lyrian traders pride themselves in their possession of Kutai goods, as few caravans can venture safely into the Kira Jungle. Lyrians manage to do so, as they are often single traders and stick to their ancient roads and lost trails only known by generations of teachings among their people. History Before the beginning of modern recorded history, Lyria was one of the world's most advanced and sophisticated nations. Lyria's armies were the scourge of the north of the world, and her cities were sprawling and magnificent. However, the nation was destroyed in a massive conflict in a time of weakness, under a weak and corrupt Akko. The war destroyed the nation, and most of the Lyrian people, too. Those that survived did so by escaping. Lyria's boundaries are long forgotten, and the land has long since been assimilated into other nations. The only hint of its past are the sombre ruins that dot the countryside. Lyrians are now dispersed to the four corners of the world, with no central leadership. They have no permanant home, aside for a handful of waystations at major crossroads. Timeline BCC = Before Common Count - 'LR '= Lyrian Reckoning 1032 BCC - 1 LR *City of Lyria is founded on the fertile southern shores of the Lyrian Peninsula. 307 BCC - 725 LR *After almost a half a century of warfare, Akko Jehero Daerim unites the dozen-and-a-half kingdoms of the Lyrian peninsula into one united Lyrian Empire. DE1 - 1032 LR *A massive civil war is waged on the basis of religion, based upon a prophesy by the Tyrosi temple of Forose that the massive comet Reylas that turned night to day would pass through the sky. The traditional Lyrian Gods are overthrown in favor of Tyros, the Hunter-God of the second city of Forose in the central highlands. The Capital is moved to Forose, and the calendar is reset to the 'Common Count,' that is still used today throughout the world. It was named to honour the Dawn of the comet, the Dawn Era. Most continued to use the traditional Lyrian Count, however. GE1 - 1332 LR *The comet reappears in the sky, prompting an invasion of the lands to the south-west. The new age is named for the expansion, and for the bumper crop that allowed it. The Growth Era begins. GE241 - 1572 LR *Lyrian expansion is halted after a disastrous campaign in the far south, brought about by extreme overextension of resources. ZE1 - 1632 LR *A third coming of the comet Reylas dawns upon a massive, prosperous Empire at the height of it's existence. Peace, education and wealth are the norm and not the exception, and long-lost treasures of magical engineering are created. Even today, magical artifacts from this period are among the most powerful in existence. The new age is named the Zenith Era. Category:Races Category:Beasts